Revelation in parts
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.” Hebrews 1:1-2. In the past, God revealed Himself and gave humankind promises and instructions in parts and at different times, never all at once. However, God was fully revealed to humankind in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. During the Old Covenant era, God communicated His plans for humankind to individuals and prophets through direct communication, dreams, and visions. But in the Messiah, God the Father united Himself with humankind so they could see Him as He spoke and acted through Jesus Christ. John 14:9.
This blog series will explore the messages and events in the Old Covenant Scriptures to understand what they communicate, imply, and suggest about the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the God with us. It will not criticize those with different views or understanding. Instead, it highlights how the fulfillment of the Old Covenant messages is revealed in the New Covenant Scriptures. Much of the Old Covenant text relates to Israel’s history, the people through whom God chose that the Messiah would receive a human body. However, throughout the Old Covenant Scriptures, God expressed or implied His plans for humankind. Therefore, this series of blogs will begin with The Beginning, the Genesis account of creation.
The primary purpose of the Book of Genesis was to establish the origin of the nation of Israel. At that time, for a people to become a nation, they needed an impressive beginning and a suitable history. During the Babylonian exile, the Jews aimed to lay such a foundation for their people by emphasizing the worship of one God. The authors of the Jewish Scriptures believed that the origin of the Jewish people was significant because God determined that the Messiah would take on a human body through Abraham’s descendants. To explain why the Messiah needed to come, they traced the start of the Jewish nation back to the beginning of humankind. God’s choosing of Abraham and Abraham’s faithfulness to God were central to their history. As a result, the origin of the Jewish nation reflects a worldview that is neither purely theological nor purely philosophical.
Nevertheless, theological inferences appear in many cases. The purpose of the Genesis account is not to provide an exact, chronological record of historical events. Therefore, a precise timeline and mechanics of creation are not a part of the Genesis account. As a result, this series of blogs will explore and describe theological inferences related to the good news—the Messiah.
The Creation. Read the next blog.